St. Catharines mayor calls police on councillor

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The feud between the Mayor of St. Catharines and a rival regional councillor has drawn in the Niagara Regional Police.

Mayor Brian McMullan says he called the police on St. Catharines Coun. Andy Petrowski Saturday over an alleged confrontation at Camp Wetaskiwin, a Boy Scouts camp near Short Hills Provincial Park.

McMullan alleges Petrowski was "belligerent in tone and demeanor" and had words for him. Petrowski claims he did not confront the mayor, but the two had tense moments in their cars. Police won't name names but said a call was made from the camp around that time, though no police were actually needed.

"No question, I felt threatened by his demeanor and his belligerent nature," McMullan said. He said he left the parking lot after the run-in and called police around 9:30 a.m.

Petrowski said he "might have said 'Oh, it's you' and returned to my car." But he said he didn't have words with McMullan, with both being in their cars at the time.

Niagara Regional Police spokesman Const. Derek Watson said police received a call about an incident at Camp Wetaskiwin around 9:30 a.m.

He did not name names but the time matches when McMullan says he called.

"Police were not required and there is no follow-up investigation," Watson said.

McMullan said he was at the camp Saturday for a breakfast and a brainstorming session. Petrowski said he was invited to the session too.

Greg Hunt, the scouts' area commissioner for St. Catharines, said he ran into a St. Catharines councillor at a political event and told him of the session. He said if he could make it, he could have a cup of coffee.

"He never arrived, to my knowledge," Hunt said.

Petrowski said he swung by the camp to tell the group he couldn't stay, but left after the confrontation due to a family commitment.

The incident is the latest in a string of clashes between McMullan and Petrowski, who frequently butt heads on the floor of regional council.

The pair clashed in February when Petrowski called for the city to partly fund a new Highway 406 interchange. McMullan ripped the proposal as "theatre of the absurd."

In 2011, the pair feuded over leaked confidential information involving Petrowski and a Regional employee. Petrowski was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing.

McMullan and Petrowski shared differing accounts of what happened Saturday. Both called each others' accounts inaccurate.

McMullan said Petrowski exited his car and "was belligerent in tone and demeanor," but "I did not say a single word to him."

Petrowski said when he saw McMullan, "I said, 'I'm not staying unprotected out of my car,' and I got back in my car." He said no words were exchanged.

Petrowski said he found it "spooky" that McMullan snapped a photo of him. McMullan said he took the photo because "I wanted proof that he was there."

McMullan said he's turned the incident over to city staffers and said they have a duty to protect city staff, including the mayor. And he said he'll bring the incident to the Region's interim integrity commissioner.

He said he could not explain the tension between he and Petrowski. "There's no logical explanation for it that I can see," he said.